


we are what we are

by foundCarcosa



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Agender Character, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-29
Updated: 2014-10-29
Packaged: 2018-02-23 03:38:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2532686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foundCarcosa/pseuds/foundCarcosa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An amusing but astute (as usual) conversation between Sten and Shale, about the idea of Shale becoming a dwarf again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we are what we are

**Author's Note:**

> [ Important headcanon note: I write qunari as agender and monomorphic, and Shale as agender and using the pronoun set "it/its". ]

"The elder mage has gotten it into her head that I should be a dwarf again."

It takes a moment, but Sten finally raises eir eyes from the pages in eir lap. The Warden and most of the Warden’s companions knew not to interrupt Sten’s reading, if only because ey would seem to blatantly ignore them if they tried. Shale never seemed to take the hint, but it interrupted em so infrequently that Sten grudgingly allowed it.

Ey close the book, slipping the ribbon between the leaves to hold eir page. “Do you wish to be a dwarf again?”

"Why would one wish to be other than they are?" There is a musical lilt to its deep voice, and Sten recognises eir own words parroted back to em.

"You were born dwarf, not golem."

"What’s past is past. Evolution brings us closer to what we truly are, is that not so? Have the qunari not evolved similarly?"

"We still retain our forms," ey reminds it.

"If I had retained my form, I would be long-dead. I have an ever-growing disinterest in being dead, as it happens."

"Longer life is not necessarily better life."

Shale hums, its crystals flashing briefly. “I’m surprised at you, Sten. You’ve come to know me as golem. Why would you want me to revert to a former state?”

"We are born to flesh, Shale. You should have the opportunity to die as flesh."

 _“Shale?_ Not _Kadan?_ You are displeased.” Again, the teasing tone. “You want to see what I’d look like, don’t you? Short, and soft, and squishy… is that what you’d like? …I wonder if I had a beard. Eh, probably not, huh.”

Sten remains silent, as if unwilling to either lie or confess, and Shale laughs triumphantly.

"The qunari succumbs to the allure of flesh! Been away from your people much too long, haven’t you? They’ll never recognise you as one of theirs now."

"Most likely not," Sten stonily concedes, annoyed with eirself, with Shale, with the whole conversation.

"Well, maybe somewhere in this stony heart of mine, I am still dwarva, but I have been golem much too long now for that to matter. My value is not what is without—"

"—but what is within. I am in understanding, Kadan."

"Good. Now, help me with these pesky crystals, won’t you please?"


End file.
